Amazing Animals: Walrus Quiz

The walrus has many clever adaptations to help it survive and thrive in
some of the harshest climates on Earth. These semiaquatic mammals, which
live both in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, even wiggled their way into a
Beatles song. You may not be the walrus, but test your knowledge of these
toothy creatures in the walrus quiz anyway.

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Question 1 of 10

Walruses belong to what order?

Pinnipedia

Walruses are a part of the Pinnipedia order, which also includes seals and sea lions.

Proboscidea

Cetacea

Question 2 of 10

How fast can walruses swim?

15.6 mph (25.1 kph)

21.7 mph (35 kph)

Although clumsy on land, walruses can reach speeds of up to 21.7 mph (35 kph) in the water.

30.9 mph (49.7 kph)

Question 3 of 10

The preferred food source of walruses are:

clams

A grown walrus can consume 3,000 to 6,000 clams in one sitting.

kelp

crabs

Question 4 of 10

How much faster do walruses lose body heat in the water than on land?

10 times faster

18 times faster

27 times faster

Despite the fact that walruses lose body heat 27 times faster in water than on land, they manage to maintain a core body temperature of 97.9 degrees Fahrenheit (36.6 degrees Celsius).

Question 5 of 10

How do walruses locate their prey?

with their whiskers

Walrus whiskers, known as vibrissae, are highly sensitive. Walruses possess anywhere from 400 to 700 whiskers in 13 to 15 rows around the nose.

with their eyes

with their flippers

Question 6 of 10

The tusks of a walrus can reach a length of:

2 feet (0.6 meters)

3 feet (0.91 meters)

The two, long upper canines can reach a length of 3 feet (0.91 meters) and weigh 12 pounds (5.4 kilograms).

5 feet (1.5 meters)

Question 7 of 10

Which of the following do walruses not use their tusks for?

hauling themselves out of the water

establishing dominance

opening clams

Walruses primarily use their tusks as tools for establishing dominance, but they also use tusks to haul themselves out of the water, to break breathing holes in the ice when underwater and to hook into the ice in order to take a break from swimming.

Question 8 of 10

How much air can the pharyngeal pouches of a walrus hold?

10 gallons (38 liters)

13 gallons (49 liters)

Pharyngeal muscles, which can hold up to 13 gallons (49 liters) of air, enable walruses to float in the water in a vertical position while nursing and sleeping.

16 gallons (61 liters)

Question 9 of 10

What enables walruses to maintain their body temperature in frigid water?

large hearts

blubber

The thick layer of body fat, or blubber, under the skin can be up to 3.9 inches (10 centimeters) thick and, in the winter, may comprise up to a third of the animal's weight.

whiskers

Question 10 of 10

What is the gestation period for a walrus?

nine months

12 months

15 months

Females mate only once every two years due to their long gestation period of 15 months. They give birth in the water when they migrate north between mid-April and mid-June.